Collapsible egg-case.



L. FARGG.

COLLAPSIBLE EGG CASE,

APPLICATION FILED sEPT.26, I9I4.Y

Patented Feb. 22,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

TIIE cDLuIunIA PLANOGRAPI-i co., WASHINGTON. D. C.

L. FARGO.

COLLAPSIBLE EGG CASE.

APPucATloN man sEPme. 1914.

Patented Feb.22,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co., WASHINGTON. D. c.

`UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

COLLAPSIBLE EGG-CASE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 22, 1916.

Application led September 26, 1914. Serial No. 863,598.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, LYMAN FARGO, a citi- Zen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Duluth, county of St. Louis, and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Collapsible Egg-Cases, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to collapsible egg cases and has for its object the production of a device of this character through the medium of which eggs may be sent by parcel post without fear of the same being broken.

A further object is the production of an egg case as mentioned which will be of durable and economical construction and eiiicient in use. l

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which- Figure 1 is a partially sectional top plan view of an egg case embodying my invention, Figs. 2 and 3 are sections taken o'n lines and g/-g/ respectively. of Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing the case in collapsed condition.

The preferred form of construction as illustrated in the drawings comprises a base section consisting of a rectangular bottom member 1 at the ends of which are provided upwardly extending flanges 2. Hinged at 3 to the upper edges of flanges 2 are end walls 4 and hinged at 5 to the longitudinal edges of body 1 arev side walls 6. The arrangement is such that, when the device is not in use, the end and side walls may be folded downwardly to position parallel with the upper-side of bottom member 1 as clearly shown in Fig. 4. Said end and side walls are releasably held in unfolded position by means of inwardly projecting flanges 7 which are provided at the lateral edges of end walls 4, said flanges 7 being adapted for engagement with headed studs or projections 8 which project outwardly from the respective ends of side walls 6. The outer headed ends of projections 8 are adapted to engage with key hole slots 9 formed in flanges 7, it being clear that with this arrangement, after engagement of projections 8 with said slots, inward pressure upon the end' walls 4 will cause the Shanks Vof said projections to engage with the reduced portions of said slots and thus serveto securely loclr the parts together. In disengaging projections 8 from said flanges it is only necessary to tilt the latter outwardly until the heads of said studs register with the enlarged portions of said slots whereupon the heads of said-studs will pass through said slots upon inward rocking of side walls 6.

At the open upper side of the body or base section of the case is provided a cover 10 having a depending peripheral flange 11. The flange 11 externally-embraces the walls 4 and 6 when the case is in unfolded condition and is adapted' also to lexternally embrace said base section when the same is in collapsed condition as clearly shown in Fig. 4. y

The body may be made of cardboard, corrugated cardboard or any other suitable material asdesired.

Arranged `within the case are two eggengaging members betweenl which the eggs are securely clamped Vwhen the case is in use. Each Vof said egg-engaging members comprises a peripheral rectangular wire frame 12 provided with a medial longitudinally extending bar 13. Upon said kframe are secured two superposed .flexible sheets 14 and 15 of durable fabric-such as heavy unbleached cotton cloth, the sheet 14 being provided with spaced opening 16adapted to snugly receive eggs of a size which the case is designed to accommodate. lThe openings 16are` arranged in two rows at either side of bar 13, the-sheet 15 being loosely secured so that when the case is in use said sheet will be flexed, through engagement with the eggs, away from the sheet 14 in the manner clearly illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3. With this arrangement then it will be seen that the openings or sockets 16 serve merely as means of positioning the eggs whereas the sheets 15 clampinglyv engage with the respective ends of the eggs to securely hold the same against relative movement. The lower egg-engaging member is supported upon substantially U-shaped supporting members 17 which are' swingingly mounted upon the side walls 6, said supporting members, when in use, being turned to project inwardly from said side walls as clearly shown in Fig. 8. Wvhen not in use, the members 17 are swung to position against said side walls' in order to permit of inward rocking of the latter to collapsed position as shown in Fig. a. Upon the under side of cover 10 are provided two engaging members 18 formed of wire which are swingingly secured to said cover so as to permit of the same being rocked to depending or operative position or to folded position against the under side of said. cover. rThe members 18; when in operative position, are adapted to engage against the upper eggengaging element 1n order to press the latter downwardly to secure engagement with the eggs. The arrangement is such that downward pressure upon the cover will simply serve to increase the pressure upon the upper egg-engaging member which will result in a more secure clamping of the eggs contained in the case. Twllith this arrangement therefore upon securing of the cover 10 in position by means of straps 19 which encircle tlie respective ends thereof, tightening of said straps about the case will serve simply to more securely press the upper .eggengaging element downwardly into secure engagement with the eggs contained in the case. WTith the construction set forth it will be seen that the egg-engaging elements are positioned intermediate the top and bottom walls of said eggs but out of engagement therewith so as to obviate the possibility of cracking of the shells of the eggs through Contact thereof 'with saidv walls.

An egg case of the construction set forth will be found of light and economical construction and especially adapted for the shipment of eggs by means of parcel post. By reason of the collapsibility of lthe case, the same7 when empty7 may be readily folded into compact form so as to occupy little space for storage or shipment.V In collapsing the case the side walls 6 after being unlocked from the iianges 7 are first rocked to position against the upper side of bottom 1, next the egg-engaging elements are placed upon said side walls, whereupon end walls 4 are folded downwardly, and finally the cover 10 is placed over the folded base section as clearly shown in Fig. e, the straps 19 being employed to bind the parts together.

l/Vhile I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into eect, this is capable' of variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: Y

1. A collapsible egg case comprising a foldable body open at its upper side; a cover for said body; a pair of superposed coperating egg-engaging elements loosely arranged in said body between which the eggs are adapted to be clamped; means on'the side walls of said body for limiting downward movement of the lower one of said eggengaging elements; and foldable members on the under side of said cover for pressing the upper one of said egg-engaging elements downwardly, substantially as described. Y

2. A collapsible egg case comprising ya foldable body open at its upper side; a cover for said body; a pair of superposed coperating egg-engaging elements loosely arranged in said body between which the eggs are adapted to be clamped; means on the side walls of said body for limiting downward movement of the lower one of said eggengaging elements; and wire members swingingly mounted on the under side of said cover adapted to depend from theflatter for engagement with the upper one of said egg-engaging elements to press the same downwardly, substantially as described.

An egg case comprising body open at its upper side; a cover for said'body; eggengaging elements loosely arranged in= said body between which the eggs are adapted to be clamped; each of said egg-engaging elements comprising a peripheral frame; a flexible covering for said frame having sockets for the reception of eggs; and means for holding said egg-engaging elements intermediate the top and bottom walls of said case but out of contact therewith, substantially as described.

4. An egg-case comprising a body open at its upper side; a cover for said body; eggengaging elements loosely arranged in' said body between which the eggs are adapted to be clamped, each of said egg-engaging elements comprising a peripheral frame; two superposed sheets of material secured to said frame, the adjacent sheets of said egg-engaging elements having-registering perforations for the reception ofl the respective end portions of the eggs, and the other sheets being flexible and adapted toy engage with the ends of the eggs; and means for holding said eggengaging elements intermediate the top' and bottom walls of the case but out of Contact therewith, substantially as described.

An egg case comprising a body open at its upper side; a cover for said body; eggengaging elements loosely arranged in said bodyV between which the eggs are adapted to be clamped, each ofsaid egg-engaging elements comprising a peripheral frame; two superposed sheets ofy flexible material secured to said frame, the adjacent sheets of said egg-engaging elements having register'e ing perforations for the reception of the respective end portions of the eggs; the other sheets of said elements being adapted to flex Jfrom said first mentioned sheets and engage with the ends of said eggs clamped between said elements; and means Jfor holding said egg-engaging elements intermediate the top and bottom walls of the case but out of contact therewith, substantially as described.

6. A collapsible egg case comprising a foldable body open at its upper side; a cover for said body; a pair of superposed coperating egg-engaging elements loosely arranged in said body between which the eggs are adapted to be clamped; hingedly mounted means on the side walls ofsaid body for limiting downward movement of the lower one of said egg-engaging elements; and hingedly mounted means on said cover for pressing the upper one of said egg-engaging elements downwardly, said egg-engaging elements being adapted to be inclosed in said body when the latter is collapsed, substantially as described.

7. A collapsible egg crate comprising a foldable body portion consisting of a bottom with sides and ends adapted to be folded downwardly thereon, and a cover, in combination with a resilient egg clamping and supporting device, Supporting members for said device swingingly secured to said sides and a clamping element swingingly secured to the inner face of the cover and adapted to engage the egg holding device, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my namev to this specieation in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LYMAN FARGO.

Witnesses:

L. R. MCLEAN, J C. JOHNSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ive cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

